The European Parliament has backed away from recommending the introduction of a harmonised health warning on alcohol packaging throughout the EU even though its own health committee had urged such a step.

The European Parliament (EP) has rejected a European Commission proposal to raise the minimum level of excise duty on alcoholic drinks after MEPs failed to agree on a number of amendments to the legislation.

Significant changes in the European Commission’s proposed wine reforms will be announced when the draft legislative proposals are adopted on 4 July, including a 3-year extension of the planting restrictions until 2013.

The Comité Interprofessionnel du Vin de Champagne (CIVC) believes that advertisements by a Belgian beer brewer using terminology associated with Champagne "are not likely to be allowed" following a recent ruling on misleading advertising by the European Court of Justice.

The drinks industry feared that the European Commission’s communication on alcohol and health might recommend a significant tightening of alcohol legislation but, due in no small part to aggressive industry lobbying, the paper has taken a softer stance than was at one stage anticipated. Alan Osborn reports.